RootsChat.Com
General => The Common Room => The Lighter Side => Topic started by: Phodgetts on Monday 11 January 10 03:15 GMT (UK)
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Hi all, anybody fancy a little reminiscence? I was brought up in Cowpen and, Blyth being my home town.... well the soft spot and all that. Some fantastic pictures have come to my attention recently which I am trying to add captions to. For those not bothered about the town, it doesn't matter there are still some great pictures to be seen.
PM me or use my email address a the bottom of the page.
Blyth is a very historic place an quite number of 'firsts' have taken place there over the years. Shame it has been hit by such hard times as the pits and power stations closing. Innovative folk will turn it around though.
http://www.davidheyscollectionextra.com/page15.htm
I hope you enjoy looking.
Philip
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Wow, I bet that took some time. Haven't read it all yet but I will.
It's amazing how easy it is to forget what the place used to look like.
Well done!
Christine
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Hi Philip
I'm from 'down south' but my father's family were from Durham and further back there are relatives from Cowpen, so this looks like being a useful site.
Thanks for the post
Linda
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Got to thank you for putting this into Rootschat
I was looking for Newsham Station but sadly couldn't find it but did enjoy looking through
Elizabeth
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Were you looking for pictures of Newsham?
Goggle Blyth & Tyne Railway or try here;
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimpringle/theblythandtynerailway/
http://erniesphotos.fotopic.net/
You will find something for sure.
Philip
PS All the credit for my page link should be given to David Hey who owns the website. My offerings have just been photo dating and some memories as I was growing up in the 1970's in Blyth. Sadly I missed the hey day of the port, but then I'd be anything up to 20 years older than I am which is unacceptable ;)
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Thank you once more
Just found a nice picture to order of Newsham Station
My grandfather was a porter there around 1913 to the 20s
Elizabeth
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Some of us can remember Blyth port being busy and ships being launched from the shipyard and you didn't miss it by much.
In 1961 the tonnage of coal shipped out of Blyth was greater than from any other port in Europe - almost 7 million tons!
Christine
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Anybody any idea which ship it was when launched from Cowpen Quay shot across the river and crashed into the North Staith? It is believed this took place between 1930 and 1960
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An update for any of you interested, the launch mishap took place in 1948 and the errant vessel was the Nusken built for Whal of Oslo, Norway. I don't have an exact launch date yet but have minions of mine searching and grilling locals in an effort to find out. I think I will become the notorious PBI 'Philip's Beareau of Intelligence' at the rate I am going in Blyth. :o
Philip
An image of the vessel in its later guise as the Arion can been seen here;
http://www.hma.org.il/Museum/UploadFiles/pgallery/1688381446.jpg
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This is one hell of a site, especially the one containing the old photos of the harbour, etc. Over the years I have tried to find out where 'Boca Chica' came from. Even Googled it and was referred to Columbia. Gave up trying, and today I have found the reason on this site. There was a signpost at the bottom of the market, Waterloo side of the old Police box, and Boca Chica was on one of the fingers of the sign, besides other exotic places such as Bedlington, etc. ;D
Also there is mention of Blyth B power being commenced in Dec. 1961, which is incorrect. I was working in the site offices of Mitchell Construction(Peterborough) in 1960, and at that time there were 300+ tradesmen, labourers, etc on the payroll. Before I left in May 1961, I was taken up the chimney when it was only partially completed. Its height then was 250 feet, and it was an astounding view, especially southwards. I was told to get back when it was finished(and before they lit the fire)and they would take me tothe top at 550 feet. I never got back, so missed out on something special.Only saw the demolition of the chimneys on TV.
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Hi Pit yacka,
Glad you like the site, though I notice no-one's got around to saying 'welcome' yet ;) So welcome to rootschat :D
Did you find out where Boca Chica got it's name? If not I'm sure there's a few of us on here who can provide their take on it
Christine
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Welcome pityacka ;D
Glad you have enjoyed the site so much and got the answer to your Boca Chica question.
I was brought up in Cowpen and it seems missed all the fun of the fair and the excitement of the new building and hive of activity that was Blyth and it's harbour. Never mind, I am enjoying doing the research that I am and looking for pictures and dating them and adding what info I can to them. One thing I have found is that quite a bit of the info out there is inaccurate but I have no way of verifying one way or the other what is correct until someone comes along who can set the facts right by personal experience. One individual has a good method of working. If one person tells him something about his images of Blyth he makes a note of. If a second person comes up with the same info, he regards it as good info but if a third person says the same....... then he will publish that info as verifyable fact. A good system, but sadly for me that takes too long. I would rather get the info out there and be corrected as at least there is something for people to talk about rapture over and see.
It would be nice to know more about your experiences in and around Blyth. Just PM me or get in touch through the website email address. Look forward to hearing from you soon.
Also, Christine, have you got any further with research into the Napoleonic Blyth Battery?
Philip
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Hi Philip
There's not been much time during the summer when we're open. We also put on 6 different displays (1 a month) Home Guard, submarine base, shipyard, Home front, ARP and the beach in peacetime. I did a lot of research on the beach one looking at before, between and after the wars and how the battery buildings managed to survive by being re-used.
Winter is when we usually do additional stuff but first I'm writing a guide book - first meeting was tonight! We will get back to Napoleon though and we are having the 1797 map of the planned gun locations printed onto a display board for next year.
Christine
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Hi to you all, No need for an official welcome- everyone knows that people from Bonny Blyth always make you welcome. Took some friends up for the New Years way back in the 1960s, and they could not believe the friendliness. One was astounded by the carry-on on the last No49 bus from Blyth to Cowpen on a night.Practically everybody laughing, singing, etc., and no fighting whatsoever. He went back for a week the following summer to experience it all again. We used to use the Station Hotel as our local in the 60s, when Stan Gray and his daughter Olive ran it. Saturday dinnertime, when Newcastle were at home, couple of pints there, a meat pie from Coles Bakers shop in Bowes Street, then off to the match. Are Central Pork Stores still trading ? Of all the different makes of pork sausages I've had, I still think theirs were the best. Lived at New Deleval until 1953 and the morning rolls from Lowther's Bakery, Plessey Road, great, and only surpassed by those from Charltons, on Coomassie Road(?) Have been up to Blyth 2/3 times in the last few years, and it has changed a lot. Still look on it as home. At Deleval used to play on the pit heaps, visit the Red Rocks(as cowboys) and go to the Yellow Babby. Why the stream had that name I do not know.
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Welcome from me too
just reading through about the pub and a pie
I used to have to go to Blyth to pick up my fisherman husband and his crew
I had to pick them up from the Quennie
It was the dirtyest place I have ever been i
Men used sit with their shoes off at a big coal fire and eat pies and have their pints
yuk it makes me shiver to think of it
Elizabeth
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Can any of you older site visitors recall the Dutch and Polish fishing vessels coming into Blyth harbour during the summer months ? I do not know if they were after callahaan(herring) or mackerel. The town was flooded with the crews - the Dutch in their wooden clogs, and the Poles selling cheap cigarettes. There was one day when a Pole was making his way into town with his illicit stock inside his clothing. He was being tailed by Customs, but he realised before they got too near. He was seen running past the bus station off-loading packets of cigs from his clothing.
And what about the Onion Johnies ? The were from Roscoff, Finisterre. They arrived in the Tyne on their own boat, and lived somewhere in Newcastle, where they had a van, and the bikes. They visited the surrounding areas, including Blyth. The onions they sold were fantastic, and you could eat them like an apple. (My wife, a non-geordie, and my friends where I live now, always said I had queer tastes- just because I once mentioned that I drank the brine from hot dog sausages, and also sweetened vinegar from pickles, etc.) Mind I still have the occasional leek pudding.
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i still make leek puddings
Elizabeth not far from Blyth
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A beautiful picture of Dutch boys at Blyth. I am sorry that I have no information at all regarding this image. Who, what, why and when................?
P
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In the late 1950s, a couple of my Blyth acquaintenances were draughtsman apprentices in Blyth Shipyard. They had palled up with a Dutch lad about 18 yrs of age who was temporarily employed in the shipyard. His dad was something big in Dutch Shipping. One year when the Dutch drifters hit Blyth, he acted as a sort of Blyth Tourist guide for the Dutch sailors.
PYFB. You and me had different fads. I poured the vinegar out of the pickles, ditto the brine from the Hot Dogs. Big thing in our house was raw chips dipped in sugar.
By the way what is the derivation for the word " callahaan" (sic) to mean herring ?
Michael
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Hi Michael, do you have any information as to when Millfield Gardens was built? I am currently trying to date one or two photos and locations. Am I correct in thinking that Black Bridge over the River Blyth was changed from timber viaduct to the present bridge in 1929/30? Were the mechanised Bates Loaders installed 1932/3 and was Cowpen Square finally demolished in 1935?
Any general info would be great to know. Thank you.
P
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Callahaan- I may not even have spelled it right. The fish carts used to come round New Deleval, and the bloke would be shouting "Callahaan." I remember my grandfather speaking of herrings as "harrans"; and also as a youngster the older people would 'ax' a question, or ax somebody to do something. Ax is pure Saxon. There was also the pronunciations of byoots, hyuks(boots, hooks) etc which was quite common. I have just looked up in Dictionary of Archaic Words, and have come across: 'caller' which meant-cool/fresh and used in the North, so possibly the call was caller haan. And what about gliffing the wits, or the sh**s out of someone ? I believe that is similar to a Dutch word glijven - to frighten. Yes, gliff is also in the same dictionary meaning "a glimpse; an unexpcted view of a thing that startles someone. The dictionary was first published in 1850,author: James Orchard Halliwell; reprinted 1989 by Bracken Books. It is well worth locating a copy. And the Onion Johnnies - they spoke broken English with GEORDIE accent. It was hilarious but not in a demeaning way. One that came to our house was Joseph Tanguy, from Roscoff.
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All you Blyth people, check out the posting re Bobby and Jack Charlton. Bobby was in the Bedlington Grammar school team when they played Blyth Grammar, and Bobby's team got stuffed. ;D It would be nice if someone could dig out the date, score and a photo. Get delving, please.
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Some videos on YT for those interested. The first two are of poor quality, but worth taking the trouble to view. The third video has only just been put on YT, the owner of the footage mailed me earlier this week. For Blyth folk, enjoy.
P
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sh8hr-0mgA (part 1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0i5L0ZKLKvU (part 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqP-mX-XCo8 (newest video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjfyuN1PN3Y (demolition of the Theatre Royal, some great facts)
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Given the news about the Harrier jump jets and Ark Royal being withdrawn from service with immediate effect, perhaps the aircraft carrier should be donated by the government to Blyth (given that Blyth is where the world's first aircraft carrier was converted / built also named Ark Royal) with a few of the jets to be a permanent museum and display centre on the river. Would make a great local / national attraction. Pipe dream I know. Nobody has any money for it, but it would be nice. A fitting tribute to Blyth, Ark Royal the Harriers and the armed forces who protect us.
Perhaps the ship could be put into the old ash dock where there is plenty of space and parking, and perhaps a little ferry could be used to take visitors down to Low Quay where they could walk through to Blyth town centre. What dreams are made of eh? :(
P
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Hi all, I lived in Salisbury Street and in the late fifties early sixties I can remember a "stagecoach" coming round the streets and all us kid used to ride round the streets in or on the stagecoach. Does anybody remember this and know who they were or even anything about them? When I tell people about it nowadays I think they are sure I'm away with the pixies!!!!! (Not quite yet)
Barbara
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New one on me, Barbara.
I'll have to ask around - see if anyone else knows.
Christine
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I put the feelers out on the stage coach too and this is the reply I got. It might help with the horses at least. Hopefully the OLD mates will remember.
"Re, the wild west situ'. I can remember the horses, taking the kids for rides around Gladstone St. That was their mustering point, along the narrow lane opp' Morpeth Road infants entrance. Can't think of any stagecoach at that point in time, but, If I wasn't looking for one, there you go.
Will seek out some of my OLD mates who lived round that area at the time, and get some definite leads on the subject.
The horses in question belonged, I believe, to old Bailey, who was a gateman at the south harbour. They were tethered, [or free ranged] on the field behind us, which is now Solingen Est, where the newt pond used to be".
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The newt pond! I used to collect the newts and keep them in an old sink in the back garden. In the winter the pond used to freeze so solid we could skate on it. I think they built the schoold right on top of it.
I'm out with the 'girls' for lunch today - will try to remember to ask about the stagecoach.
Christine
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One of my friends does remember the stagecoach - early to mid fifties. Apparently it used to go down Union Street and the children used to ride on it.
She doesn't know why or who owned it.
Not away with the pixies yet, eh Barbara ;)
Christine
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I let my husband see the photo of the Young Dutch boys him being a retired fisherman and he can remember the young boys coming into Amble as well
Elizabeth
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Well, my Blyth contact of mature years has been able to come up with more information. ;D
His latest email is as follows;
Yep Partner, spot on. the stage coach, acc' to my recent re search this morning. It was owned by a guy called Jack Thomas, not as I suggested, Bailie, the harbour gateman, [slapped wrist on that one]. He had the first bookstall on Blyth market, you will poss' remember it, it resembled a hot dog / hamburger type, towing van. The sort of thing you see in laybys. The respectable stuff was on the table, in front of the van, the bluey type was on the top, inside. you just had to give him a wink, and he knew what the porny old guys were after.
He was a very tall guy, getting on in years, had an extremely long nose, which always had a permanent dribble. At that time, there was a kids roundabout, next to him, that was owned by the Lillico family,
Jack got rid of the "royal coach" and bought the roundabout, (which was operated by a handle). He still worked the bookstall, and his wife cranked the handle. That roundabout was later bought by a neighbour of mine, who operated it for a couple of years, and then it went un- repairable, and then scrapped.
Such a shame about that little roundabout as I used to ride on that when my mum took me into town from Cowpen, and I remember it being hand cranked. A very pleasant lady who it seems was probably Mrs Lillico. ;D
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Thanks for that. I know now that it was not a figment of my imagination.
I also remember the roundabout on the market But not the bookstall. I seem to remember a lady who lived down the street to us used to hand crank it. She was a mrs Tulip and her husband worked on the fruit and veg stall, name I can't remember.
Barbara
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Bobby Charlton/ Bedlington GS v. Blyth GS. Details of the match posted on the site re the Charlton brothers, in the Northumberland section. There is also a photograph of Bobby"Chuck"Charlton and his team on the Bedlington GS site.
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A beautiful picture of Dutch boys at Blyth. I am sorry that I have no information at all regarding this image. Who, what, why and when................?
P
From the looks of the trawlers in the background I think these may be the ship's "mice". Each fishing vessel carried a very young cabin boy who was just starting out at sea and he was known as a "sea mouse". I remember reading this was how Jan de Hartog, a famous Dutch writer, began his seagoing career in 1925 when he was aged about 11. He tells a fictionalised account of his early sea life in "The Lost Sea". (Cover pic and pic of 2 "mice"attached)
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Interesting info re the ship's mice. They went to sea even younger than what I estimated their ages to be from the photograph. I may be wrong, but the photo looks like a 1950 ish. I would not have thought any country would have let any youngsters go to sea at that age.
Oh, Aspin, have you got the pubs mixed up. I referred to the Station Hotel, which was situated at the side of the railway station, and opposite Woodcock's (?) Was the pub you were mentioning opposite the main entrance to the rail station, and was it called the 'Railway Tavern'. Never went into that one. When got to drinking age, my parents warned me to keep out of The Commercial, and the Brewery Bar, or else. ;D
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Hi
I recently had an article in the Blyth Leader asking if any of you folks up there could remember, or had any photographs of my Grandfathers' stagecoach which used to ride around the streets of Blyth. This stirred quite a few memories, and I received a lot of responses about the stagecoach, one chap even remembered the route the stagecoach took around Blyth.
My Grandfather was called Harold Edward Thomas (Ned) and as mentioned in an earlier post, after selling the stagecoach he ran two bookstalls in Blyth market for quite a few years. He lived in Wright Street, Blyth for many years, and I lived in Maddison Street, until moving to Yorkshire in 1960 at the age of 10.
I did manage to find a photo of the stagecoach with my Grandad and his horse Silver, hope this brings back happy memories for all you who rode it. Having difficulty attaching the photo i will post it separately.
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Welcome rumneyt
This brings something to my mind
My father was born in South Shields 1908
and they moved to Newsham Blyth after his birth as the next baby was born 1911 Blyth
I don't know when the family moved on to Spittal thus my grandfather being a railway worker but can I ask if there is any record around that time of a horse and cart (not being able to stop ) going into the river at Blyth with a small boy on the cart being drowned
The reason I am asking is my father was deaf and the family story goes he saw a horse and cart go into the river and the little boy sitting on the cart was drowned
Leaving my father a small boy deaf
Elizabeth
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I remember the stage coach coming round our street and picking kids up.
I lived in Hambledon Street at the time and I seemed to think it cost a penny a ride.
Great experience and great memories.
Bill.
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I posted a comment about the stagecoach on October 25th 2010. I lived in Salisbury Street and can remember it coming round there in the early sixties. It was great to think you were in the wild west. It used to stop at the back lane towards the bottom of Disraeli Street and Salisbury Street. I don't know where my mother got the money from as she never had much but we always got a ride on the stagecoach.
It would be nice if you posted a piccy of the stagecoach to bring back the memories.
When I talk about it nowadays everybody thinks I am away with the pixies!! Ha ha, now they will know I'm not!!
Barbara
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Hi Barbara, it's strange the number of responses I had from the article I placed in Blyth local paper who thought they had 'imagined' the stagecoach ride!! Even though we were his grandchildren we still had to find our pennies to pay for a ride around the 'Wild West'. The reason for my asking if anyone remembered my grandfather is because I have started researching my family and it appears that Ned had quite a colourful past i.e. fighting in the Spanish Civil War. For some reason the photo would not send yesterday as an attachment , so I'll try again with this post.
Jenny
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"For some reason the photo would not send yesterday as an attachment , so I'll try again with this post.
Jenny"
Jenny, two things I found out when trying to attache a photo.
1. Don't try to preview it.
2. The file name may need to be changed.
Bill.
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Hi Bill I noticed some of the names on your research and they rang a bell. Bulmer, Easton and Heir. Were they from Blyth? That's where I came from so it can only be from there that I remember them.
Barbara
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Hi Bill I noticed some of the names on your research and they rang a bell. Bulmer, Easton and Heir. Were they from Blyth? That's where I came from so it can only be from there that I remember them.
Barbara
Hi. Barbara,
Yes their all from Blyth, although I only recently found the Easton's were related through the 1841 census.
My mother was Dora Riley (nee Bulmer). She was the daughter of William Bulmer and Susannah Balmer. At the time of her birth William was a general dealer and living in Stephen Street. Cowpen Quay.
Bill.
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Thanks Bill, I've forwarded photo to Philip Hodgetts who is kindly going to sort it out for me.
Regards
Jenny
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Thanks Bill, I've forwarded photo to Philip Hodgetts who is kindly going to sort it out for me.
Regards
Jenny
Here you go. Absolutely wonderful to see. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Ned Thomas with his horse Silver and the Blyth Stagecoach from the 50's.
Philip
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Thank you for the wonderful picture.
We may not have had much money but we could imagine Roy Rogers, Gabby Hayes, Tom Mix etc. riding along with us on our journey.
Bill.
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Gloucester Lodge, Blyth.
Who knows the history of the building, and the family(ies) connected with it ? As youngsters when at the beach we never went beyond Meggies Burn. But when in our teens and riding bikes to Seaton Sluice, etc., we would see it as we passed along the road. I do not think it was inhabited in the 1950s. Is the building still standing, or has it been demolished ? I should have thought it would have been a listed building, but presumably it no longer exists. However, having said that, I think it was on Rootschat that I learned that Malvin's House, at Malvin's Close, Cowpen/Blyth, was demolished - legal vandalism ? Anyone with any history of Gloucester Lodge, please post.
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Thanks for that. I know now that it was not a figment of my imagination.
I also remember the roundabout on the market But not the bookstall. I seem to remember a lady who lived down the street to us used to hand crank it. She was a mrs Tulip and her husband worked on the fruit and veg stall, name I can't remember.
Barbara
yes your right and her husband was called George he used to wotk for Deans. iI also lived down the road
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Yes Eddie that was right. I couldnt for the life of me remember what the fruit shop was called, Deans :-[ They lived down the street from me in Salisbury street in the sixties.
Barbara
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Caller Herring is a very famous Scottish folk song words by Carolina Oliphant, to a tune by master Scots fiddler, Nathaniel Gow
Wha’ll buy my caller herrin’?
They’re no brought here without brave darin’
Buy my caller herrin’
Ye little ken their worth.
Wha’ll buy my caller herrin’?
O ye may ca’ them vulgar farin’;
Wives and mithers, maist despairin’,
Ca’ them lives o’ men.
Used to sing it in the old Grammar School
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blythboy, How old are you ? I went to the GS, and we never sang that song. I am ** yrs of age, so you must be 9*, or 1**. ;D Who was your music teacher, or would that be giving away secrets?
What I came back to this subject for was how did 'Monkey's Island' get its name ? It is not even an island, and is just up river from the site of the old power station, at Cambois.
On the south side of the river, roughly opposite Monkey's Island, there was a fever hospital at one time, about the 1920s. I saw an old photo of my grandmother outside the wooden(I think)huts. She was standing there in a nurse's uniform. On the same side of the river, and up river towards the sewage works there was a considerable wall built of large stones. Anyone have any idea what took place there ? Was it built to prevent flooding(as the river is tidal in that area) ?
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I also went to the "Old Grammar School" and have never heard that song. It was amybe something peculiar to one class or year.
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It isn't something I remember either but I gave up music at the first opportunity - or did it give me up?
Did you know that our beautiful old school has been flattened and is now a muddy field?
Christine
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I think most classes and years at the old BGS were peculiar - except the ones I was in. ;D Yes, I was aware it had been razed to the ground; a friend, still living in the town, sent me some photos by email. I suppose nowadays, it is financially easier to build a new one, than spend more modernising a school.
What happened to the ice age boulder, which had been dredged out of the river, and stood on the lawn opposite the school dinner building entrance ? I could have asked for it for a souvenir. ::)
Anyone with info as to the naming of 'Monkeys' ' island, or the fever hospital there, please add.
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from Wallace's History of Blyth (1869) This took place in 1795 and the Dule of G stayed at the farm
On the 28th of August the Duke of York, accompanied by the Duke of Gloucester, reviewed the troops encamped on the coast of Northumberland. The whole force consisted of thirteen regiments of horse and foot, comprising seven thousand men, took ground on Blyth sands, extending, when in line, about three miles. Precisely at seven o'clock, the Duke of York, attended by General Sir William Howe, commander of the northern district, came upon the ground, and rode along the line; after which the army went through various evolutions and firings, accompanied by the field and flying artillery, and at eleven o'clock the review concluded. This grand military spectacle, being so novel in this part of the country, attracted an immense number of spectators, calculated to amount to thirty thousand. There were on the ground many persons of rank; among whom were the Duke of Norfolk, Lords Scarbro', Falconberg, Mulgrave, and Dundas and Generals Smith and Balfour. The grand review was long talked of in the town by those who witnessed it, as the great event of their lives.
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from Wallace's History of Blyth (1869) This took place in 1795 and the Dule of G stayed at the farm
On the 28th of August the Duke of York, accompanied by the Duke of Gloucester, reviewed the troops encamped on the coast of Northumberland. The whole force consisted of thirteen regiments of horse and foot, comprising seven thousand men, took ground on Blyth sands, extending, when in line, about three miles. Precisely at seven o'clock, the Duke of York, attended by General Sir William Howe, commander of the northern district, came upon the ground, and rode along the line; after which the army went through various evolutions and firings, accompanied by the field and flying artillery, and at eleven o'clock the review concluded. This grand military spectacle, being so novel in this part of the country, attracted an immense number of spectators, calculated to amount to thirty thousand. There were on the ground many persons of rank; among whom were the Duke of Norfolk, Lords Scarbro', Falconberg, Mulgrave, and Dundas and Generals Smith and Balfour. The grand review was long talked of in the town by those who witnessed it, as the great event of their lives.
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Well I was at BGS between 1963 and 1970 and the music teacher was a Mrs. Simpson as I recall, a large and formidable lady who played the piano with gusto. She had us sing probably because our grasp of key, scale and chord formation was at best limited and our interest (at least mine) somewhat minimal. In terms of age, I am heading for 59 at a rate of knots.
If you look at the maps for Factory Point you will see it was an alkali works and the first isolation hospital was down the road from what is now Cowpen Road to FP about 3/4 of the way. Then a second one was built on the site of the alkali works sometime about 1919. The straightening of the river bank appears on the 1950s onwards map and the land is shown as reclaimed and the bank straightened. There were some stream s there but it was possibly to prevent erosion and the deposition of mud in the channel. (http://www.keystothepast.info/durhamcc/K2P.nsf/K2PResults?readform&FT=blyth)
Monkey's Island is the old Buck's Hill (i.e. on the South Side of the river)and I have the following quote from 1902 stating that the name was then about 60 years old and had more or less replaced Buck's Hill in local parlance.
"This ford was close to a projecting mass of rock covered with greensward, which juts into the Blyth river, and is now known popularly as Monkey's island, but until about 60 years" ago was called Buck's hill. At this ford it is said in the times of the Border mosstrooping thieves, a watcher was stationed, to intercept them, and when finding it was too dangerous to return to Scotland by their usual routes they made a wide
detour to the coast." (http://www.archive.org/stream/s3proceedings10sociuoft/s3proceedings10sociuoft_djvu.txt). This is just to the West of Cowpen Square across a then tidal inlet.
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blythboy,
You have turned up a real diamond of information re Gloucester Lodge. When I posted my query I did not get any feedback, and I thought it had died the death. I recall it (in the 50s) as a boarded up, but not derelict, building. When I got no replies I went onto google and its map. I was surprised to see it now occupies a fair amount of land - equestrian school etc.
BGS; music teacher; yes, Mrs. Simpson, in the 50s as well. Singing our hearts out one day in class, and she picked on me. Said I was only mouthing the words, and not actually singing. I could never sing on my own, but in a crowd I would give it full belt, which I was doing that day. She used to live uo the road towards Newsham, on the opposite side, and last house on Plessey Road, next to a corner shop, at the turn for Barras Avenue(?) before you got to where the Seahorse pub now stands.
Thanks again for the info re the Lodge, and I will certainly look at the links you have mentioned.
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My abiding memory of Mrs. Simpson was one year end assembly (or could have been Christmas). We were allowed home early as soon as assembly was over.
All poised for the school hymn and she came crashing down on the piano keys (as she always did) but not a sound came out. Someone had managed to disconnect the keys (don't ask me how). The expression on her face was worth all the hours of agony I spent in music lessons.
We weren't allowed home early that day though!
Christine
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Re Gloucester Lodge, and the military display. The year 1795 would be during the Napoleonic wars. Perhaps a show of strength to keep the Frenchies away. It did not keep the Onion Johnies away in the 1950s. :D I have never seen any reference, whatsoever, to the event, and may try and delve further into it.So after remembering the dates of the Napoleonic wars, I did learn some history at BGS. One history teacher was Mr. Jack Tait, and I believe his brother was Alec, who played for Newcastle United.
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I have downloaded this from;
http://www.archive.org/stream/historyblythfro00wallgoog/historyblythfro00wallgoog_djvu.txt
But has been scanned and the OCR programme converted big chunks into what looked like John Prescott's utterances or total gobbledegook (is there a difference?) and the formatting was all over the place as well.
I spent God knows how many hours reformatting, correcting spelling (u was OCRd as ll and -orn as -om - just surprising how many modems were in the modern world of 1869).
I have the Index as a word files, the heading and index and the main body. If any (reasonable number) of people would like the main body send me you Email contact.
According to Wallace, the beaches at Blyth may have been considered suitable invasion beaches by the French.
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According to Wallace, the beaches at Blyth may have been considered suitable invasion beaches by the French.
They certainly were and you will also find in Wallace a description of the location of a battery built at that time to protect the river entrance.
Down at the current battery we now have a map dated 1797 showing the proposed location of four batteries along the bay. The one Wallis mentioned was built on a high sandhill and all signs of it have disappeared but Philip (who started this thread) located a couple of old maps showing its location.
There was also one built at Rocky Island at Seaton Sluice - this is mentioned in the History of Northumberland, Vol. 9.
As for the two proposed in between these ones - we have found nothing of them yet.
Christine
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New to RootsChat but originally hail from the Bebside and Cowpen area and have an interest.
A little bit of history that interests me is as follows:
My grandparents James(Jim) and Jemima (Mima) Walker were caretakers at the Welfare Hall, Bebside until sometime in the fifties. On leaving the Welfare Hall, they did not want to be publicans, they moved to stay with my parents, Ralph and Isabel Carnaby, in Dovedale Avenue. Grandfather became an attendant at the pithead baths and was lucky enough to have his name drawn from the hat, to become part of the demolition team, when the pit closed.
It is the references to High House Farm that have caught my attention. I spent many happy hours there and even ended up with an after school, work, job until my early twenties. I see that the name Liddell keeps appearing in messages but should it not be Little? I have some pages from undated electoral rolls and they refer to Little rather than Liddell, James and Sarah. Maybe the Liddell name is from a different era?
They had a son, James who farmed at Follansby, South Shields and a daughter Madge(Margaret?) who was married to a minister from the Scottish borders area. James as far as I am aware was divorced and his ex wife, Mary, lived in Front Street. He had a son James and a daughter Eileen who stayed with her mother in Bebside. Madge had a daughter Avril. Can anyone fill in any dates or provide any information on the Madge side of the family?
When James and Sarah retired he moved to Front Street.
I had always believed that James owned the farm but doubt is now in my mind as according to the sales catalogue for the farm it was sold on 10th April 1957 at the Town Hall Morpeth on behalf of John Anderson, deceased. A figure of £3,900 has been written on the document.
The buyer was Henry (Harry) and Annie Harper who farmed it until they retired. Who bought it thereafter is unknown to me. Last time I passed, it was in a severe state of disrepair.
I can add more if anyone is interested.
Peter
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Keep the information, anecdotes, and history snippets of Blyth rolling in. It makes interesting reading. I am glad I was born and bred in Blyth - I always knew it was the centre of the world. :D
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Itsssssssssssssssssssssssss not
LOL
Further up the coast is
near to about
the borders
and Berwick
The stage coaches used to stop there
nothing much left there now
Elizabeth
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rentaship,
I cannot help re your family roots. Bebside High Farm caught my eye, and when I had a look I saw the surname 'Harper'. You are right about that, because I met him now and again at the Bebside Inn(next to the level crossing). He was within walking distance of home from the pub. He WAS known as Harry. One of his friends was "Bowker" Bailey, and I believe that he lived nearby. Why he got the name Bowker I do not know. Another man who used the same pub regularly was called Sam. He worked on British Rail on the rail lines. He did a good impression of Jack Elam, the Hollywood star in mainly western films. Unfortunately Sam was killed in, I think, the early 1970s, on evening or night shift, whilst working on a line in the Blyth/Morpeth area. I believe that 3-4 men were killed as a train passed whilst they were working.
If you get a bit more feedback, you may get people posting info re the Bebside village- I remember the Bebside Co-op as it stood, and also the pit/colliery, bit I could not describe either of them, although the front of the Co-op would have fitted in nicely at Beamish. Good hunting. :)
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Hi Man aspin, (if your are a woman then you know 'man' is just a term, and not being sexist ;D) I will get back to the meat of the thread in a minute, but here is a short anecdote which I was told. I have lived in Yorkshire for 40+ years, and years back I went into the local, and the publican( a Tyke) was laughing his head off. "What's the matter Tom ?" I asked. Reply, "We've just had some Newcastle supporters in and they said to my wife, quote/verbatum, " How, Man, Missus, Lad, Woman, Hinny, hev yi got any ....... ?" I thought the landlord was taking the mickey out of me unti his wife reappeared and quoted the exact same words
BACK TO THE SUBJECT: stages would not stop at Blyth- the passengers would want to get off and settle there after meeting the locals. AND further north was not Scotland ready for welcoming the French, and the Berwickshire/onions/ites/or whatever the term is could not make up their minds which crown to support. :PI still think that Blyth is the centre of the world, but I stand to be corrected. ;D
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Hi Pityackafromblyth.
The Bebside Inn was a regular watering hole for him. Many times in there with him during the early sixties, especially during the summer hay season and then again when the grain crops were harvested. The name 'Bowker Bailey' does not ring any immediate bells with me so it will be interesting to see if anyone picks up on that name.
I remember the Coop which was immediately across the road from the Bebside Inn and also the pit including seeing the chimney demolished. Cannot remember if it was with explosives or the Fred Dibna way with fire. Thanks alot for your imput.
Peter
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I was born at 138 Front Street, Bebside Colliery village in 1941. I went to St Cuthbert's Primary School at Cowpen ( between Cowpen Village and Cowpen Newtown)
138 was the last house on the west end of north side of Front St. . Rehoused to Cowpen Estate
(Weardale Avenue) when pit died in eartly 1950s. I used to frequent the Miners Welfare Hall
( The " Institute" = The Chute ) to play Billiards on one of it's three tables. Also got school dinners upstairs. I remember Jack Walker booking us onto the tables in 20 minute periods then flicking the table's lights off and on to signify time up. He had some duckers and divers to contend with, but he was a good patient chap.
You and PYoB wont like this bit. The farm house was officially called Cowpen High House, not Bebside High House. The railway station preceded the pit and the pitmen's houses by about 4 years,
and it was called Cowpen Lane ( because like Cowpen Quay) it lay in the "township" of Cowpen, one of the 5 townships that made up the Parish of Horton.
The "Township" of Bebside lay to the West of Cowpen township, ( The Heathery/Hathery Lane marked part of the boundary divided the two townships.
The colliery village that developed around the "new" pit , lay within Cowpen Township, not Bebside Township. But it eventually got the name of Bebside from the pit which was owned by a coal company called Bebside Coal Company.
My brother Raymond's Sat and Sun pub crawl was Bebside Club, Bebside Inn and Kitty Brewster. He never wanted to go farther afield.
Michael Dixon
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Thanks Michael.
I see from birth certifcates tha Jim Walker, my grandfather, was born in 58, Front Row and my mother, his daughter, was born in 11 Front Row. I assume that Front Street and Front Row are one and the same or were there two different streets?
Jim died at 1, Dovedale Avenue. A next door neighbour there, on Tynedale Drive, was Bobby Taylor who was married to a Dixon. Chrissie,daughter of Jack and Tilly Dixon who I think lived at 36, Weardale Avenue. I assume some connection with you?
Never heard High House Farm referred to as Cowpen High House but interesting to know.
Peter
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Surely this must be Newsham, between the two level crossings!
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I stand corrected, blythboy. Newsham is the centre of the world but only between the 2 level crossings. What was the name of the corner shop, just over the road from Newsham Junior school, where we used to buy our ice lollies ? I was looking at a site re the Black Diamond, which is up for sale. One advert for it quoted, "Strippers on a Sunday" Black Diamond centre of the world ' :D
And we used to go to Walter Willson's, next to the top crossing for broken biscuits.
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Bebside inhabitants. Remember Lance Wood who owned the Bebside Inn at one time; and who had his 'pop' factory somewhere over the road. Was discussing this with a relative, and I was then reminded of Mr. Wood's sand business was also based somewhere in that area. Sand was removed from Blyth beach in great quantities, and eventually there was ructions about that.
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Lance Wood did live in the houses across the road from the Bebside Inn. His pop factory was up the road in the old pithead baths, after the pit closed, but uncertain whether it existed or where it was before then. I remember the sand biz too but where it was actually situated I cannot recollect. Much of the sand came off the beach just at Seaton Sluice. Now you would have to take it from a quarry or dredge it at sea.
Peter
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First abodes in Bebside Colliery were the pit official's houses (still standing) then Front Row ( both sides up to about the High House) Then West Row, running into pit yard.
Front Row changed to Front Street, extended up to school ( which became welding shop. West Row changed to Errington Street.
Lance Wood's buildings were in Errington Street.
See maps on Northumberland Communities web site which show "Cowpen High House" ( in area that is later to be known as Bebside)
http://communities.northumberland.gov.uk/006829FS.htm
For Armstrong 1769 map, Fryer 1820 map and Greenwood 1828 map.
My Dixons were parachuted in from Haltwhistle to work in pits in 1930s. All of them except my father returned to Cumberland. So other Dixon in area are not mine unles ..??
To me a child, the farmer was called Liddle, with him on the farm and his wife living in the most modern part of Front St, a couple of doors west of Butchers general shop.
Michael
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You are right about the farmer. They retired, to a house a couple of doors up from Billy and Elsie Butchers shop but their name is still somewhat unclear. Little or Liddell.? The electoral rolls I have clearly shows Little at the farm and also at Front Street. Is Liddell an older name or........? Maybe someone can shed some light on this.
There was also a caravan to the rear of the farm that was let out. Tenants are shown as Jane G Stephenson and then Thomas and Kathleen Stoddart. If I am right the later couple moved to the Nixon Street area of Blyth. He worked on the buses.
Note your comments on Dixon. Was Tommy and Mamie Dixon relatives of yours? My grandparents were friends of theirs.
Peter
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Topics merged so that we keep all the Blyth lads and lasses together!
Andrea
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Ah Walter Willsons. Thats another chapter for me. Aunt was manageress at the Newsham store until it closed. Can't remember the date but will ask her. She is now in her late eighties. Mum used to be manageress at the Cowpen Quay branch in Regent Street whilst my father managed the Cowpen Quay and Walterloo Road Branches. Other branches he managed were at Ashington, Seaton Delaval, Bedlington Station before finally retiring from the Ashington Branch.
Peter
quote author=pityackafromblyth link=topic=513630.msg3695639#msg3695639 date=1297511422]
I stand corrected, blythboy. Newsham is the centre of the world but only between the 2 level crossings. What was the name of the corner shop, just over the road from Newsham Junior school, where we used to buy our ice lollies ? I was looking at a site re the Black Diamond, which is up for sale. One advert for it quoted, "Strippers on a Sunday" Black Diamond centre of the world ' :D
And we used to go to Walter Willson's, next to the top crossing for broken biscuits.
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My goodness, I haven't heard the word "pop" for ages and Wood's pop to boot. Sadly, this Bebside area is now covered with the only thing to be built in Blyth now, houses.The odd major manufacturer would be much better to see.
I can remember buying pop there on the way to Humford Wood's baths. The bus fare from Malvins Close was enough to buy a bottle, particularly if you climbed over the fence to get into the baths and saved a bit more.
I was in Blyth last week to see my Mum and it does not get any better. I was at the Woodhorn Museum and as ever it was a great experience. However, as I’d finished looking up what I wanted and having some time to spare I went to look at the records collection and discovered that they had in stock the class registers for Morpeth Road School between 1911 and 1965. Now this was my old Infant and Junior School and I wanted to look at the names of all the people I was at school with, many of which I have forgotten. After filling in the form I was informed that the 75 year rule applies and whilst I could look at those from 1935 and earlier the rest were protected to preserve the confidentiality of the individuals in the register. Amazing really, there is more information in the ‘phone book and much more on all of the social networking pages. Whether Al Qaida could benefit from knowing the identity of my friends from way over 40 years ago, or dubious loan companies exploit the fact that I was absent during some days in the 60’s is hard to figure out. However, why list records in the catalogue if you cannot use them?
It was a nice day and I decided to walk back to the town centre through the Queen Elizabeth II Park and could not help but notice that every single light on the path had been trashed, 30+ standard lights totally vandalised. On crossing the railway, I saw on the lamppost that dog fouling could be punished by a fine up to £1000; a short walk up the road towards Ashington meant that I was forced to detour around circa £250,000 worth of uncollected fines in the first few hundred yards. Then at the halfway point opposite a wooden bench was another notice informing me that this was an official public place and that antisocial behaviour and drinking in the street could attract a fine of £500. Something in the order of £1,000,000 worth of discarded bottles and cans were in the hedge along the road towards ASDA along with at least another £250,000 worth of doggie deposits. Blyth,Bedlington etc. are no better.
I live in Switzerland now and believe me it does not have to be like this, nor does it have need threats of fines to achieve this. The Swiss follow Robert Peel's principles and it works and does not cost a fortune
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Sadly, this Bebside area is now covered with the only thing to be built in Blyth now, houses.The odd major manufacturer would be much better to see.
About all the houses being built in and around Blyth: I've not visited for years and years now but I keep in touch with relations down there and also take a peek at Google earth now and again. It was the vast sprawls of spreading housing that astonished me when I first saw the maps. Who lives in all of these houses? Where do all the residents come from? And more important, what do they all do?
The main employers (of men) in my youth were the mines, shipyard, harbour and staithes (with all that goes with them such as dockers, engineering workers, shipbreakers, tug crews, pilots, foyboatmen, shipping offices, Customs officers, fishing etc.) and then there were other employers in the likes of Bedlington, including an electrical firm whose name I forget. Every one of them gone to be replaced with houses. Is Blyth now a commuting suburb for the Newcastle/Tyne area?
As you say it would be good to see a major manufacturer moving in there.
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To me a child, the farmer was called Liddle, with him on the farm and his wife living in the most modern part of Front St, a couple of doors west of Butchers general shop.
Michael
I'm not familiar with the period you write of but the name Butcher caught my eye. Would this have been Billy Butcher who opened quite a large (for its time) grocery shop in the purpose built shops on Cowpen Estate? There was a sad lack of planning concerning shopping when these estates were built and Butcher's certainly had a thriving business with a captive set of customers. There were a couple of other stores scattered along Cowpen Road and surrounding area such as Mrs. Eyre's (sp?) shop with her always smiling and charming daughter Eileen (I think?) and then the Co-op further up the road and a couple of shops/newsagent in the dip. After that it was trek into Blyth or catch Arthur Lovat's mobile shop (converted bus) as he toured the estate.
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HenryWood,
And the railways were big employers in mid 1900s.
Blyth commuting suburb for Newcastle ????
Currently there are 9 different bus routes doing Blyth>< Newcastle. (Journey duration c60 mins)
For the last few years they has been efforts (as yet unsuccessful) to resurrect the passenger rail line
( Bedlington-Bebside-Newsham-New Hartley- Seaton Delaval) to link up with the northern part of the Metro rail system, to give quicker access to Newcastle.
When the Butchers ( Billy and his brother and their wifes) lost their shop in Bebside, they got shop in Briardale Road.
The shop in the "dip" at Cowpen Village was general dealers and sub Post Office. Still a thriving general store. The shop at the top of the "dip" became a tiny bookmakers, now a normal house.
The co-op shop on Cowpen Lane ( now Cowpen Road) opposite the Windmill pub, is now a restuarant (at least up to 2 yrs ago ? ) 13887 was our divi number.
Michael
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Thanks for all that, Michael.
How could I forget the railways? We even used to catch the train from Blyth to go trainspotting at Newcastle Central station. IIRC we called in at Newsham station on the way. Plessey Checks was another favourite viewing spot. I've seen reports of the attempts to run the Metro system into the area and I read somewhere a few weeks ago about some house building permission being refused in the Bebside Inn/railway cottages area in case the line plans come to anything.
I forgot about Billy Butcher's brother, but I can see him now, and Mrs. Butcher with her white hair. I also forgot about the "dip" shop being the sub Post Office, and wasn't there a very good fish 'n' chip shop somewhere there on the opposite side of the road? Great suppers but a long hike to get them as no cars in those days.
Aye, store check numbers! I remember once I had to collect a message for my granny of a container of cream from the Co-op bakery at Newsham and pay for it at the time. The lady gave me the cream, took the money and asked, "What's your nanna's check number, again?"
I couldn't remember it so blurted out ours, "10071!"
"That's not your nanna's number," she sternly told me. "Whose is it?"
It was if I was trying to forge a cheque or something. :)
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Currently there are 9 different bus routes doing Blyth>< Newcastle. (Journey duration c60 mins)
Nine! I remember two service numbers, 6 and 4 if memory serves me right which ran once an hour. The No. 6 left on the hour and went up the Cowpen Road route and the No. 4 went via Newsham. I never paid much attention to the times of the No. 4 after we moved from Newsham to Cowpen Estate. It's all rather hazy after that
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O.M.G how spooky, I was at work on friday and had the boring job of reducing the price of some cream soda thinking of the bottles of Woods pop my grandad used to have delivered to his smallholding down in the woods at Bedlington. I think that was the only reason I used to go up there as we very rarely got pop at home!!! (on our uppers ha, ha.)
I can also remember going down to Walter Wilsons near the shipyard (we lived in the bottom lot of houses in Salisbury St.) and looking into the glass fronted tins of biscuits thinking ooo I could eat a handful of all of them.
Living so near to the shipyard we quite often used to go to the launchings. If I asked my younger brother about it I would guarantee he would come up with the name "Chapel River" as the one he could remember.
Barbara
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Certainly the posts are sparking some memories.
The Butchers were Billy and Elsie as well as John and Hannah. Remember when I was young I used to go to the shop on a regular basis and often went out with Billy on a Friday evening when he was delivering from his shooting brake. It was during the period of the exodus from Bebside to Cowpen and before the shop at Cowpen was built. Customers were loyal in those days and he used to delivery bread on a Friday and then go with general goods on a Saturday. After they retired I often saw Billy at Newcastle races.
Next to Billy’s new shop was Carlos Coffee Bar and was the other shop on the block not Harry Magwicks?
The fish shop in Cowpen Village was Nixon’s I believe, whilst a couple of doors away was Archie Elliot’s general shop. I cannot remember the newsagents shop name but it did become Marshalls and thereafter is unknown to me.
Train spotting was also an interest of mine and I do regret not visiting Hughes Bolckows, as they in addition to breaking ships also broke up steam locomotives including main line pacifics. . A good site is www.railuk.info/steam/steam_search.php Full of information. North and South Blyth shed reference is 52F.
Peter
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You've brought back a lot of memories. Am I right in thinking Carlos had a juke box?
Remember this
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It certainly did. Owned by Charlie??
The good old ships head that stood in the front of the offices. i wonder whatever happened to her?
Peter
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You've brought back a lot of memories. Am I right in thinking Carlos had a juke box?
He did, Charlie Robertson, kind of a "big" guy. ;D
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Billr, I do not remember "this", and it certainly was not Carlos's wife. ;D Carlos coffee bar was owned by Charlie Robertson, and he also had the general shop on Cowpen Road, just1-2 doors away from the dentist; and they were just up from British Celanese factory.
Oh yes and blythboy, I stand corrected yet again. It looks like Newsham was NOT the centre of the world. From what has been disclosed over the last few posts, it looks as though it was/still is Cowpen and Bebside. :o
emmadog, you should not disclose family shame. Your Granda had Woods Ice Cream Soda delivered to his smallholding ? My gawd, worse than being an alcoholic. ;D My lips are sealed. ;)
And only two buses to Newcastle ? The No.6 and the No.4? What about the No. 8 , didn't it go to Newcastle via Whitley Bay. Sorry mispelt that, it should be Pitley Way. :P And also the No.7, yellow in colour, which went to Tynemouth. Tynemouth Borough Corporation colours ? They also had their own Poliss Force.
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Carlos' coffee bar. I do not know if his son Mick(?) is still around. The coffee bar eventually became a fish and chip shop.
And what about the night club/coffee bar/ den of iniquity in the centre of Blyth - the Barbarossa ? They reckon if you got caught there in a raid, you spent 5 years in the state penitentiary. ;D
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I am trying to ween myself off this trivia gossip, to concentrate on family research, but can't resist saying that the owner named his club after his beard " Barbarossa"
When I joined in it's early days- it was posh and boring. Didn't it have some religious context. Was it in Trotter Street, near Billiard Hall ?
Before Charlie (Robertson) had the wee shop in Cowpen Newtown, on Cowpen Road, his mother, Mrs Murray, ran it. Shop was sparse but it sold cigarettes in ones, with a free match !
I should have added that the 9 different routes to Newcastle from Blyth are run by one bus company- Arriva, I think other companies also run other routes.
Michael
Michael
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Charlie Robertson in Bebside and Cowpen circles was known as a...... character !!
Bebside Miners Institute/Bebside Welfare Hall used to put on concerts upstairs, ( before Bebside died).
One night a magician/hypnotist tried to hpnotise the whole audience. Then after having his fun with us, he released us. But he couldn't snap Charlie out of his trance and even St John's Ambulancemen couldn't help other than carry him home, dressed up in female clothing. The village was split on whether Charlie was a good medium or in cahoots with Hypnotist ??
Stop me, somebody !
Michael
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Stop me, somebody !
Michael
No! Keep it up! It's refreshing a rather clouded memory.
I joined that Barbarossa club too though I don't know why. (Was the owner Name deleted and didn't he tork all hep too, man?) A crowd of us used to go there for a coffee after closing time at the Station Hotel before heading off home. Waste of time as only coffee, coke and maybe other soft drinks available and he certainly knew how to take your eyes out with his "food" prices. Now, I'm remembering from a faulty memory here, but didn't he have a rather beautiful daughter? Maybe that was the attraction for us. That and the speakeasy hatch in the door, plus I think we all got our own door key, didn't we. How easily we were pleased in those days.
Nice tale about Charlie at the Bebside club too. Huge guy, huge laugh. :)
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I am trying to ween myself off this trivia gossip, to concentrate on family research, but can't resist saying that the owner named his club after his beard " Barbarossa"
When I joined in it's early days- it was posh and boring. Didn't it have some religious context. Was it in Trotter Street, near Billiard Hall ?
Michael
Sorry, forgot about this part, location. I cannot remember the name of the street but to get to it, it was on a shortcut of side streets between the bus station and Regent Street. Enter side street with gents toilet on the left and the greasy spoon cafe on the right of the side street out of the bus station. Then turn right at the old Theatre Royal then next left into a really grotty street and the Barbarossa was on the right hand side. Am I right? (And I never heard anything religious about it except the owner tried religiously to extract every single penny you had on you. And speaking of the owner, the first name I could not previously remember was it [*** *****]
(Sorry, I've just come across the rule of not naming the possibly still living so have deleted the name)
Next question, your starter for ten, what was the name of that cafe? It was next to the T&B garage.
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At least there are still shops in Cowpen and Newsham. Who remembers Ridley's shop in Princess Gardens? Two interconnected wooden sheds in the back garden and those gardens are not big. Mr Ridley was a shopkeeper in the Arkwright school of dealing with kids.
Also at the top of Walton Avenue was a Coop, a newsagent, a lady's hairdressers a chippy and Sarah's general dealer. Sarah had possibly the most untidy shop in Blyth but she sold everything and appeared to have everything in stock as well.
No shops in these two locations any more.
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For want of a better expression, and it is well known in Blyth, -' "Why yi bugga, mah," they've shifted aal the Blyth history ind ivrything else ti thi Lighter Side Forum. It is like hiding the Domesday Book.' :o
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PYoB,
Us Bebside and Cowpen folk must have had a different from you Blythites . We said " Wewyubuggaman "
My father used to say to my mother " Where's me dinnah, woman man ? "
Silly Michael
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I was in Blyth last night we had to pick up the works jeep and I was down the street where i used to go too when I was small beside the dairy
I forgot it again am I right in naming it Barris Hill
Just off the river
Elizabeth
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As I have told you before my Dad went to school at Newsham and he always called my mother Hinnie
Elizabeth
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I was in Blyth last night we had to pick up the works jeep and I was down the street where i used to go too when I was small beside the dairy
I forgot it again am I right in naming it Barris Hill
Just off the river
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth,
I remember a Ballast Hill which if I remember right, was where Hanratty had his scrapyard but I cannot recall a dairy in the area? From a faulty memory, Ballast Hill was somewhere on the left side of the Low Ferry Landing. I'm trying to picture it in my mind now but there were a few changes made in that area during the times I remember (early 1960s maybe). I think a newly built office block opened there which handled the staithes coal shipments. I think it would be a British Railways office. They used to issue the "orders" twice a day, morning and afternooon, saying which ships should go to which coal loading staithe. HTH.
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As I have told you before my Dad went to school at Newsham and he always called my mother Hinnie
Elizabeth
We all went to school in New Delaval (infants) then South Newsham (first part of junior school) then Newsham school and we called everybody Hinnie! :D
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PYoB,
We said " Wewyubuggaman "
Silly Michael
How do you pronounce "Wewyubuggaman"? Seems to be a spare wobbleyou in there somewhere unless you taaked funny like, man?
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For want of a better expression, and it is well known in Blyth, -' "Why yi bugga, mah," they've shifted aal the Blyth history ind ivrything else ti thi Lighter Side Forum. It is like hiding the Domesday Book.' :o
We nivva evva said "Why yi bugga, mah". Nee way like, hinny, wud enny of us hev ivva sayed "mah" at the end, like. Whey man, that soonds mair like a Jockanese wurd, mah does. Did yis ivva get the Sunday Post on a Sunday like, man? Whey man, yi wud often see "mah" in there, like, they used to be aalways taakin' aboot Ma Broon but mebbes that was the Jockanese way of spellin' "mah", like, if yi knaa wot Aa mean, like?
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Why I you Buggar man
Am I right
Next time I have to go to Blyth I will try to remember my camera
You were right
Ballest Hill
Yes we used to come out of the back door and down some wooden steps over a yard to the dairy . Mind you I'm going back about 60 odd years
we had to get a bus from Morpeth through by was it sheep wash bank or would it be the bank at Beddlington
not sure
I know I was always sick in the bus and my mother used to give me wrong
No sympathy in those days
Elizabeth
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Why I you Buggar man
Am I right
Next time I have to go to Blyth I will try to remember my camera
You were right
Ballest Hill
Yes we used to come out of the back door and down some wooden steps over a yard to the dairy . Mind you I'm going back about 60 odd years
we had to get a bus from Morpeth through by was it sheep wash bank or would it be the bank at Beddlington
not sure
I know I was always sick in the bus and my mother used to give me wrong
No sympathy in those days
Elizabeth
Hi again Elizabeth,
I'm staying up late the neet 'cos Aam havin' a bit of a session. Ivry three months or see it hits me and Aa cannat dee nowt ti stop it.
So, anyhoo, man lad, it's this bliddy dairy that's got me really baffled. I used to know that area pretty weel like, but Aa cannit for the life of me remember a dairy in the area.
Could you please describe where it was then and also where it would have been now so I can try and work it out. please? The only dairy I can remember in Blyth at that time was the greet big Store (Co-op) Dairy where we used to get little bottles of orange/lemon squash half way through our paper rounds. Thursty work delivrin papers, like!
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Why I you Buggar man
Am I right
Next time I have to go to Blyth I will try to remember my camera
You were right
Ballest Hill
Yes we used to come out of the back door and down some wooden steps over a yard to the dairy . Mind you I'm going back about 60 odd years
we had to get a bus from Morpeth through by was it sheep wash bank or would it be the bank at Beddlington
not sure
I know I was always sick in the bus and my mother used to give me wrong
No sympathy in those days
Elizabeth
I'm remembering a bit more about this, especially the wooden steps you talk about but it's all very vague in my mind. I used to work in that area and I kind of remember how there were big wooden steps leading up from the road that went down to the Low Ferry. I think the steps went up to Hanratty's Ballast Hill Scrapyard? As I said, I'm sure that area was all cleared out in the early 60s. Blyth was "King Coal" in those days and they did whatever was needed to administer the coal traffic. The new railway/coal shipping office block built up on Ballast Hill overlooked the mid section of the river and was a quite different set-up to the old building which stood almost on the river bank just by 1 & 2 staithes on the South Side. Mind you, the same bloke ***** ******* moved into the new offices and he was just as big a b*****d as he was in his old office. He must have had the very worst temper in Northumberland!
On about being sick in the bus, Elizabeth, while the bus travel never bothered me, my sister was a real martyr to it. You could literally see her turning green at some stage in the journey. Then, if I remember correctly, my Mam would tell the conductress that my sister was going to be sick, the conductress would ring the bell, the bus would pull in wherever we were, and Mam would half carry my sister out to the roadside where she could have a good spew! :P Imagine that nowadays! They's just hoy you off the bus!
She travels OK now in cars and that and I hope you've got over travel sickness too.
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Ballast Hill. Blyth.
The site of the hill of ballast, to allow ships with no cargo to fill up with sand, stones or whatever, for stability reasons, is marked today by a wee street called Ballast Hill, at right angles to Quay Road, which contains The Eric Tolhurst Centre building
There is a Ballast Hill Street in North Shields. And Newcastle in early doors started a cemetery on it's Ballast Hills.
Michael
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Dairy at Ballast Hill. I can remember a small dairy being in that area but not sure if it was in Ballast Hill or not. When heading for the docks from the town centre, passed the post office, and before the current changes to the road layout were made, did you not come to the junction to turn into Quay Road. On the right on the corner was the pub which is still there and immediately to the left was a row of buildings with some flats and a dairy?
Peter
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Does anyone recall Nurse Wilkinson, who lived at Newsham, and worked at the Blyth Hospital- Thomas Knight Memorial. I believe that she used to cycle down to the hospital for work each day. I was in the men's ward in the 1950s. I think it had about 12 beds. Two of those were occupied by a Polish and a Dutch trawler hands, who had sustained fairly serious injuries. Nurse Wilkinson was telling the local Blyth patients about one of the "ladies of the night" and the staithes(!) who was entertaining the sailors, one by one, in one of the cabins on the Cambois side of the river, just upriver from the Seven Stars pub. There was a queue of men outside the cabin, when a P.C. in uniform came up, marched to the front of the queue, opened the door to the cabin, and walked inside. Said the officer of the law," I want to see you." To which she replied, " Well you had better get to the back of the queue, instead of jumping your turn ?" I remember all the Blyth men bursting out laughing,at which Nurse Wilkinson looked across at me, about 14 yrs of age,- so I feigned sleep. I did not dare laugh as it might have opened my stitches. ;D
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Nothing new about Blyth to post here ? Looks like all our memories have gone to sleep. I have just put this in to get it back on display in the Lighter Side. It might just catch someone's eye, and start the ball rolling again.
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Well, we have had lots of chat about people and places within Blyth, but what about the sounds. One of the loudest sounds must have been the power station letting off steam. The roar of it could be heard a long way off. We could here it loud and clear from the fields at Taylor Street. We used to watch the steam exploding skyward. I could never work out if there was a crisi at the station or if it was just a thing they did from time to time to test the safety valve or some such.
Sadly I am too young to remember the whistles of steam engines at Bates shunting the coal wagons, I also missed out on the High Ferry whislte. It seems that when a ship was approaching the ferry had to drop its cables, so a whistle was sounded.
Anyone remember those things?
Philip
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Oh, and have any of you looked Blyth up on Youtube? There are a number of videos on there at the moment. A 2 part film about the power station and a couple (poor quality but worth watching) about the railway and ferry and one Farewell to Steam.........
Philip
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Philip,
Perhaps you can remember the Fooooggg Horrrrnn groaning away ?
Michael
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I can remember the foghorn but when I returned to Blyth a few years ago to stay with my uncle I found they now have a new foghorn!!!! AN ELECTRONIC SOUNDING THING. It kept me awake all night. What a noise.
The sound I remember most was the sound of the hooter at the shipyard at lunchtime and finishing time. I lived in Salisbury Street at the end nearest the shipyard so we used to hear all the sounds of shipbuilding (welding, riveting etc.) Oh for yesteryear.
Barbara
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funny We've just been through Blyth today on our way back from Shirmoor and I said to my husband one of these days I will remember my camera and go into Newsham and take a photo of 11 Station Cottages where my Dad once lived
Elizabeth
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I also missed out on the High Ferry whislte. It seems that when a ship was approaching the ferry had to drop its cables, so a whistle was sounded.
Anyone remember those things?
Philip
Aye, ships wanting to cross the High Ferry cables had to blow 1 long and 2 short blasts on their siren and when it was all clear the ferry blew back the same signal. There was a huge notice high up on the Cambois side (might have actually been on the North Staithes) saying something like "All vessels wishing to pass the High Ferry must sound the following here." The sign was then illustrated with a long and 2 short dashes like morse code.
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Michael Dixon . Im quite new on Roots but your name rang a bell On one post you mention your brother Raymond. You must then be Alans elder brother. He and I were good mates while at ST Wilfrids and if Im right we used to drive you daft playing your Elvis records Dave Brubeck etc while you were out I also went to St Cuthberts in Cowpen and remember the likes of Mrs Dobson Miss Heffernan etc .One or two on here are debating "the centre of the world" No brainer really definite in the centre of Cowpen .Wouldnt surprise me if the Holy Grail wasnt buried there. Billy Gillon is my cousin
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I had forgotten all about Blyth being posted in the Lighter Side. Just spent the last 40mins re-reading all the 12 pages.
Thanks cowpenexile for your post which reminded me of this.